This document provides an overview of neuropathies including:
1. It discusses the anatomy of the central and peripheral nervous systems and describes the components and functions of nerves.
2. Several types of neuropathies are defined including mononeuropathy, mononeuritis multiplex, radiculopathy, and polyneuropathy. Common causes, clinical presentations, and diagnostic approaches are described for various neuropathies.
3. Specific neuropathies like Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and carpal tunnel syndrome are explained in more detail.
27. CHRONIC AXONAL
NEUROPATHY
1. Drug and toxin: Alcohol, vincristine, phenytoin,
organophosphate, statins, metronidazole, dapsone
2. Infection: Leprosy, HIV, Borreliosis
3. Connective tissue: Sjogren's syndrome, SLE, rheumatoid arthritis
4. Metabolic: Diabetes, chronic renal failure
5. Paraneoplastic: Carcinoma of the lung and ovary.
6. Inherited: CMT 2 and CMT X
7. Vitamin deficiency: B12, Folic acid, Vitamin E
8. Endocrine: Hypothyroidism
9. Paraproteinemia: Myxedema, Benign monoclonal gammopathy
28. FOCAL MULTI FOCAL
NEUROPATHIES1. Entrapment neuropathy: Carpal tunnel syndrome,
ulnar nerve at the elbow, common peroneal at the
fibular head
2. Endocrinal: diabetes mellitus, myxedema,
acromegaly
3. Amyloidosis
4. Hereditary neuropathy susceptible to pressure
palsy
5. Vasculitis
6. Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block
34. CIDP
Immune mediated demyelinating polyneuropathy
Presents with LL weakness and sensory changes, and less
commonly, CN palsy,
One of three clinical syndromes:
1. Monophasic illness with symptoms lasting > 2 months
2. Slow progressive course
3. Relapsing/remitting course
NCS consistent with demyelination
LP with increased protein
Treatment:
35. CHARCOT-MARIE-TOOTH
DISEASE
AD, duplication in the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene on 17p11.2-12
Progressive distal polyneuropathy
Begins in intrinsic foot muscles, and then progresses to include proximal weakness, as well as to involve hand
muscles
Hammer toes, pronounced arch, thin tapered appearance of legs
Onset in first 2 decades
First symptoms include:
Difficulty with heel walking
Pes cavus
Calf atrophy
Decreased reflexes
Progresses to include
Worsening of above
Impairment of vibration and proprioception
Touch, pain and temperature sensation less commonly involved
Diagnosis: EMG/NCS Genetic testing
Myelin sheath is the most susceptible to damage,
It can break down as a result of damage to Schwann cell, myelin itself or disease affecting axon.
Mononeuropathy
Pattern of weakness and sensory loss conforms to the distribution of a single nerve
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Peroneal palsy at the fibular head
Mononeuritis multiplex
Multiple nerves affected in a random pattern
Acute onset, frequently painful
Diabetes mellitus, vasculitis
Radiculopathy – nerve root
Plexopathy – brachial or lumbosacral plexus
Cranial neuropathy – Bell’s Palsy, 3rd nerve palsy
Polyneuropathy (peripheral neuropathy)
Distal, symmetric